Sea herring is a vital forage specie for the beloved striped bass and bluefin tuna we fish for in the summer and fall. Harvest methods for these herring are in dire need of improvements.

A 2008 NEFMC management plan vehicle is needed to implement critical changes in the herring fishery:

(1) Ban or restrict midwater trawling for herring, including additional near-shore buffer zones (2) Shift the management paradigm to recognize that forage fish are worth more to the ecosystem in the water then they are as a commodity. This will be realized as science-based TAC setting. (3) Implement a comprehensive accountable monitoring and observer program that measures all catch, bycatch, and discards in a real-time manner, including a prohibition on at-sea dumping.

We would like to see the NMFS address herring as a priority in 2008. Please take the time to call the 2 numbers below and ask the representatives to make sure the National Marine Fisheries Service prioritizes sea herring in 2008. There isn't much time as there will be a meeting next week. Please call as soon as you can.

Representative Tierney's office. His phone number is (202)225-8020 Ask to leave a message for Rep. Tierney "I am calling to encourage Rep. Tierney to send a letter to the National Marine Fisheries Service and the New England Fisheries Management Council to prioritize herring in 2008".

Mark Forest, Bill Delahunts Chief of Staff. His phone number is (202)225-3111. The message is simple, "We need Congressman Delahunt's help to get the NEFMC to take action in 2008 to fix the Atlantic Sea Herring fishery".